Room 'Mates'
by TheNumberNineIsEight
Summary: Some short stories about mr small and a grumpy Skeleton named Jan who happen to share the same apartment, but not necessarily the same ideals.
1. It begins

**A quick bunch of short-stories I wanted to do with an oc, a skeleton named Jan. They are neither male nor female. To anyone reading of my other stories sorry about the delay, but I like writing one-shots about cartoons I don't normally write about. All of these will most likely be about Jan and the Student counselor Mr. Small, who Jan refers affectionately as Steve or 'Fluff monster'**

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Jan liked tea, and maybe that was the only thing that the two could agree on. Three years into letting this fluffy monster be their roommate, but only recently realizing the mistake. Jan didn't think it was enough to throw him out, especially since they were still only partially employed, their novels not making much headway in the way of money. This never bothered the other as much as Jan had anticipated, being supportive of their dreams. It was the _other_ things that had broken the two into fits of arguments.

"People who only depend on that stuff can _die_ Steve! People don't realize how harmful alternative medicines can be!" Jan couldn't remember how this argument started, but the point was that _he was wrong._ Steve disagreed, and as usual was way more eloquent in proving his point. "There is no harm in people finding new ways to live Jan." He also always found a way to keep his voice level and calm, which often just made Jan angrier.

The couch they sat on seemed to be stabbing Jan while Steve, the _employed_ student counselor, was comfortably resting in his place. Jan hated it. They hated every time he would look them in the eye while Jan couldn't even muster looking at anything besides his feet. "Jan." His words were unusually calm. Steve would usually snap at them by this point.

" _What?"_ Came out the shaking hiss. "Let's just watch the movie ok? I don't want to argue right now, and I know you don't want to either." Jan suddenly felt very uncomfortable, and very stupid. But then he spoke again. "I'm sorry. You're allowed to think what you want. I don't want this to be dragged out. Let's just be friends again ok?" Jan really wanted to take that offer, but there was a gnawing feeling in the back of their head that made them want to bite back. Jan made a compromise and just rumbled a low "Alright." It was pretty obvious they were still angry, but Steve ignored it, for the betterment of the situation.

Jan couldn't really focus on the movie, not remembering what was happening before, and honestly was feeling pretty sick to their stomach, if such a thing existed for the small skeleton. Jan found themselves more focusing on Steve. His eyes seemed glued to the screen, but only because he knew Jan was staring at him again. It made him uncomfortable, but he knew it was nothing to be worried about. But still, he wished Jan could look at something else...

"Steve." Only then did he turn his head to look back at Jan. "Hm?" He tried playing it off like he just noticed. "Thanks."

Steve looked confused. "What?" He paused the movie, so he could focus on what Jan was saying. Jan looked away almost immediately. "For not leaving, It's still been pretty rough, but I do appreciate your help in me keeping this apartment." Steve smiles. "It's hard to be an artist in this world, you're pretty brave for doing it for a living." He puts the remote down.

Jan pulls a blanket up around them, which was previously laying on the floor. "So yeah... Thanks." Jan mumbles. Steve lets a hand fall to Jan's, and takes it. "Don't worry about it. We're friends right? Even if we argue we'll stick together."

Jan was without words, and could feel the tears well up inside them before Steve wrapped them up in a hug. Such a supportive and understanding friend? When did this all turn on a dime in their head? How could such a person make Jan feel like biting his head off to being the only friend they had in this world? Jan didn't care enough to pick apart the situation, and just made the most of it.

They finished the rest of the movie wrapped up in the blanket together. Even if they argued the next day, Jan would still want their fluffy monster of a friend around.

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 **Thanks for reading. Next time! : Steve insists on going outside, Jan doesn't like it.**


	2. Outdoors

**Welcome back! And also don't ask me about the logic behind a skeleton needing to eat/drink, I'm going for ridiculous. :3 have fun!**

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It was a pretty warm morning, the sun softly filtering in through the blinds. Jan had just woken up and started their routine. It was important to keep a routine or their writing would suffer for it. Every morning Jan would wake up, start a half pot of coffee, and shower. After Jan had dried off and gotten dressed they would find something to eat while the coffee was almost done brewing.

A nice day so far, and Jan had already been thinking on what the next chapter of their new novel would be. This novel was a new idea then the rest of them. Most followed a simple detective/drama feel, but recently Jan was feeling a bit adventurous. So they were writing a story about a young kid and their best friend a giant, and their adventures.

Jan decides on just some toast, since they weren't that hungry yet anyway.

"Oh, good morning." Steve had woken up several hours before Jan, as usual, but what was unusual was that he was still at home. It was a weekday, which meant it was his workday, right? Confused, Jan asked the obvious. "Why aren't you at work today?"

Steve smiled, knowing that the question wasn't intended as an accusation, just concern. "It's spring break for the students, but I still have some paperwork that needs doing, but I can do it at my leisure at home." He sets down a cup he'd been holding and stands. "You always wake up this late in the day?" He asks heading into the kitchen. Jan shrugs. "Everyday at 12. The early morning is for people like you."

Jan puts the piece of bread in the toaster and pushes the slider down. Steve gives the toaster a stern look. "What happened to having fruit in the morning?" Steve looks up at Jan. The skeleton shrugs again, this being the only answer they gave. The cloud-like man thought for a moment.

"Let's go to the park!"

Jan seized up. "What?! No!" That was in violation of their routine! Jan couldn't break that or else… They shuddered, thinking of that 3 month period of not writing. "Come on." Steve didn't accept an answer and pulled Jan towards the door, the toast and coffee completely forgotten. Steve put Jan in Janice(His purple, and heavily decorated van) and started to drive off to the park.

Jan had more than a few words about this, complaining and explaining why they couldn't go, but Steve would merely smile. The park was quite a ways from home, taking at least twenty minutes before finally stopping.

"Come on Jan, I know for a fact the furthest you've gone outside in a week was to get the mail." Jan only groaned as Steve pulled them out of the Van. "Can't I just hang out here in the van?" Jan whined. "No." Steve smiled.

"Now let's go." Jan could often ignore Steve Small's tendencies to 'connect with nature' easily, but only because he would often do such activities alone. Jan didn't have much interest in those things, but did have a trip planned for going camping once a year. That Steve wouldn't attend.

Before Jan could adjust their sight to the brightness, Steve had already begun pulling them out into the grass. "Steve, what're we even doing here?" He lets go and sits underneath a tree, Jan's sight still adjusting. "Jan, sometimes you've got to take a step back so you can work more efficiently." A grumbling Jan settles down in the grass, laying down, staring at the roots of the tree.

"I think that logic might be flawed." Jan pokes a stick into the dirt. Steve puts one fluffy hand onto Jan's boney ones. "Look." He then points out towards the sky. Jan sighs, sitting up to sit next to steve.

"Isn't it pretty?" Steve smiles. "It's too bright to see." There was a moment of awkward silence where Steve seemed to be gritting his teeth. Jan waited for their sight to be restored. It came slowly, but eventually Jan could see it all. Trees framing a blue sky, which was only a backdrop compared to the clouds which were not scattered or rolling, but white, fluffy looking things that bumbled across the sky.

"Ok, it's pretty cool." Jan smiled. Steve seemed to relax, not noticing before how tensed up he was. "Steve?" The cloud like man turned to look at his skeleton friend. "Do you ever wonder if we'll stop living together?" Jan stops for a moment, carefully reading into Steve's reaction. He only raised an eyebrow slightly. "Like say, if I get really famous? And I can afford a nice house instead of living in an apartment." Jan looks again, that eyebrow getting higher. "Or perhaps you find someone you really like, and you wanna live with them instead?"

Steve opens his mouth, as if he was going to say something, but closed it, and put a hand on his mouth, seeming to think very hard.

"I know, It's silly to worry about those things now, 'You're only 30, you've got time, man' you'll say." Jan does their best 'Steve' while waving their hands. "But I can't help it."

Jan looks back up at the sky, the clouds gathering into a bigger bundle, the wind probably picking up. Jan laughs. "See this is what happens when you take me outside, hahah, all my thoughts go out my face instead of on paper." Of course Jan used their laptop and not paper, but that wasn't the point.

"I think you just need to learn to relax." Steve finally spoke up. "Life will go how it does, and we can never plan for the future as much as we'd like to. Just go with the flow, yknow?"

Jan nodded, not knowing how to respond. Thunder can be heard, and obvious signs of rain approach.

"Now let me ask you something." Jan gets comfortable against the tree, and hums a light 'hm?'. Steve covers his mouth, thinking, and then pulls the hand away. "Why did you stop singing?" Two years ago, Jan had a side gig along with writing. They would do wonderful covers of music, collaborating with many talented musicians to produce them.

Jan's early life had been filled with their guardian giving them vocal coaching. Jan's 'mother' of sorts, though she often would seem to be more of a teacher, or peer. Shortly after Jan was adopted, the large woman would teach them. Jan didn't have as much of a passion for it, but Jan certainly enjoied it.

It gave Jan a good foothold onto being a singer, something they liked as a hobby. But Jan's heart was always in writing.

Jan thought about this, then remembering the reason they spoke. "When I published my first book, I was ecstatic that it got such good reviews. I wanted the next one to be even better, but… When I finally took the time to see what the other reviews were… 'These people are only here because of Jan's vocal performances.' And that… Well I didn't want people to read these things because of that… I wanted it to be because it was an interesting story…" Jan's hands rested in their lap, looking back up at the sky.

"Seems a waste," Before Steve could even finish that thought Jan put a hand on Steve's shoulder. "You just want me to sing more, because you want to hear me sing?" The wording was purposefully made personal. Jan wanted to see how he would react, keeping a straight face. There was a long, awkward stare between the two.

Steve didn't know how he was going to react. Thing about reactions though, is that sometimes they choose themselves. The feeling sank to his stomach, as well as catching in his throat. The words that came out were as defensive and broken as Jan had hoped for.

"I… Ju- Just… Just though you-you-you would want to...uh… want to….wanna… What I mean is… a lot of people… really… really liked those… uh…" The heat that was coming off him could probably be contributed to the magenta blush that was spreading on his face.

"Relax. I'm just kidding." Jan smiled their little skeleton smile. "I don't intend to go back into singing, but that doesn't mean I can't let my buddy join me on karaoke night." Jan stands, realizing the rain was imminent, and would be here soon.

"You go… You do that?" Steve seemed baffled, Jan didn't ever go into public without a good reason… or so he thought..? "Yeah, Every sunday night I go and sing, and eat hotwings." Steve cringes at the thought of hotwings, but stands as well.

"Perhaps when I join you we can split some fries instead?" The nervous fluffy monster offered. Jan just smiled. "Let's get back home, It's going to rain."

They both agreed on this, and indeed, on the way home it started raining heavily. Getting inside was still a trip to not get soaking wet, but to no avail. Thankfully the skeleton only had to worry about their clothes being wet, but Steve Small's problem was that he was like a giant sponge, and had to go to the bathroom to dry himself off.

Jan changed out of the wet clothes and into something more dry when steve came by. Both of them had come to the realization that none of them had anything to worry about when it came to seeing the other nude, as Jan was… A skeleton… And Steve was covered in fluff.

Not to say that they went out of their way to see each other in the buff, just as roommates you eventually walk in accidentally and see something that was not for your eyes….or eye sockets…

Jan finished pulling on a shirt, just to see Steve, fluffs galore. Jan let out a squeaked laugh, and quickly covered it with their hand. It was like looking at an overly large marshmallow that had just gotten out of control everywhere.

"Dude, You look ridiculous." Jan says before sitting in front of their computer, focusing on the document that had been open for months. The current paragraph describing the scenery was in place, with no dialogue and few character involvement. Jan thought that maybe it would be boring, especially since this was their action novel.

Steve attempts to pull his hair back into his normal pony tail, but it was a daunting task. "I'd like to see you try to tame this every day." Steve gave a little sassy huff, and sat down next to Jan. "Your coffee is now very cold." He smiled, pulling the hair back with a hefty looking comb.

"Now whose fault is that?" Jan could sass back, but really wasn't the best at it. "And how long is this Spring Break going to last anyway?" Jan really couldn't focus on working on their novel with Steve hovering, besides, he seemed like he wanted to socialize anyway.

"About a week, why?"

"Hm, no reason really, I just wanted to plan my week accordingly. Maybe I could take a break too. I haven't added anything to this in a long time." Jan had been thinking a lot about how this book was going to go, what new twists they could write, or maybe a cute little romance into the mix, but it really wasn't coming together as neatly as they'd like.

It was probably time to take a step back and relax, see if they could figure this all out.

"That's cool, man." Steve seemed pretty mellow to Jan, usually their first interaction of the day was Steve getting off work, and relaxing in a corner, trying to calm himself of the day's events.

"Yeah… Would you mind hangin out with me when you aren't doing whatever paperwork you claim you need to do?" Steve gives a small nod in response, finally able to tie his hair back.

The rain had only gotten heavier, and Jan decided it was best to save and shut off the computer. After all, the day was still young.

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 **This one was supposed to be way different than I'd originally planned. But it's cute and simple nonetheless. Next time on _room 'mates'!_ : Vote now on my page? Otherwise I'll pick a scene at random! whoooo!**


	3. Movie Night

A quiet afternoon. Steve knew it'd be with Jan away from the apartment. He was relaxing on the couch, the tv quietly playing some documentary of which Steve was paying little attention to. He hardly put much thought into which program he switched into as long as it was quiet. After the events at the school it was a nice change of pace.

Gumball had turned the whole school upside down with his 'investigation', Steve had half a mind to lock his door, but his frequent visit from a certain student was more important. She had some issues with her mental state, and Steve would often help her through it.

He shook it all off for now. Steve relaxed further into the couch, the tea he had set down early had not even been touched, only providing the room with soothing fragrances.

The click of the door opening made Steve twitch, surprised by its sudden shut. Jan didn't say anything as they entered, only the sound of a plastic bag rustling could be heard. Then there was a sudden, distinct sound of hollow plastic and a light metallic ting.

He tensed up. Even without looking behind him he knew the skeleton behind him was grinning. This could only mean one thing…

Steve's anxiety was pulled up from the corners of his mind, making him try to gather his things as quickly as possible and leave, move, _get out of there,_ _ **now**_. But despite his frantic attempts, Jan's calm moving stops him dead between standing and sitting. "Now Steve, where are you going?"

Jan had their hand on Steve's shoulder, stopping the cloud-like man from leaving. Steve was developing a cold sweat, his stomach dropping to his feet.

He sat back down slowly, looking up at Jan nervously. "You know what day it is." It wasn't a question, but Steve nodded anyway.

Jan walked back to where they dumped the contents of the small plastic bag onto the counter, and pick something up.

" _Movie Night…_ " Steve said under his breath.

The only light in the darkened room was provided by the tv static. A nearly full bowl of dip and a huge bag of chips sat atop the coffee table, casting a large shadow onto Steve. He knew what came next. The doorbell rang, and Jan answered it with a smug laugh that was soon accompanied by the three others at the door. One of them was Larry needlemire, an uptight workaholic only taking days off to go to Jan's famous movie nights. He held in his arms three boxes of pizza. "I hope this will be… enough?" Nervous as always, but later in the night Jan knew it would disappear. Jan motioned to the couch, and Larry made his awkward way towards it.

The second was Nicole watterson, mother of three, strong willed and lacking mercy at the worst of times. Today she wanted to do something different, and offered to join Jan's little 'get together' as she said at the store the other day. She brought a giant bottle of zero calorie soda, and a tupperware container of 'Snacks' she said. It looked good, sweet, but savory veggies and peanut butter. Jan always loved them, and never did have the heart to tell her these weren't really movie night snacks. Nobody seemed to mind, and she politely took a seat in the plush chair near the couch.

The third… was interrupted by two little ones, Gumball and Darwin. Darwin who was nervously waving, and Gumball who looked outright offended. Nicole shrugged sheepishly at Jan, who was only confused.

"Kids? Guess we'll have to go pg13 guys." Larry groaned, frustrated. Steve seemed relieved, but Nicole waved her hand. "No no, these kids wanted to see the movies we really watch." She smiled and then whispered to Jan. "Don't worry they'll be gone before the end of the first scene." Then she gave a little wink. Jan shook their bones, and then offered them a seat.

The third was actually Nigel Brown, seeming to regret his choice to come over now that _those two_ were here, but Jan looked so happy that he was here he almost immediately changed his mind. "Don't worry, I know how to keep them busy if they cause a ruckus." Jan gave their little Skeletal smile.

Nigel seemed cautious, but trusted Jan's abilities, handing over a case of beer. Jan appreciated it, but as a precaution put the case in the fridge to keep the kids from accidentally reaching out for it.

Everyone seemed settled around the TV except Steve, whose expression seemed to consist of absolute fear. Jan hadn't noticed, and pulled up the three discs of movies. "These movies were found, by the wonderful assistance of my lovely friend Larry, and are here to tell you three stories of which you will not forget!"

Jan paused to look at their faces. "The first is about a young girl who gets lost in a forest, and is haunted by a demon as she tries to find her way home." Various 'ooooo's were sounded. "This next one, however, is about a dog who goes on an impossible journey to find their master. Sounds innocent enough? Wait until we watch it!" Larry and Nicole look positively ecstatic at that one. "The last, but certainly not least, tells the story of a ghost trying to cope with the loss of everyone they cared about, and how it accepts its fate."

"Let's watch that one!" The two boys chimed in, enthusiastic cheers agree behind them. "Votes are in then! Let us begin!" Jan inserted the disc into the dvd player and handed the remote to Darwin. Jan gave a little wink and pointed to the play button. Darwin looked in awe and pressed it, the movie intro just beginning.

Jan would have had to been a fool to see Steve awkwardly standing quietly in the dark. He seemed too stunned to move, and though Jan knew why, took his hand and pulled him towards the beanie chair just next to the couch.

Jan carefully guided him into the chair and brought him one of Nicole's snacks. He seemed grateful, and Jan settled next to him without another thought.

The movie went on as normal for a scene, but then the horrifying gore turned up and the kids had set to leave "because it's not scary _enough_ " and went home. Nicole smiled, knowing her children well.

Then the level of drunkeness had gone from not at all to mildly buzzed. It was common to be so at one of these deals, but Nicole seemed to be a rather lightweight, already giggling mad. Jan hadn't even gotten through their first, mainly due to Steve's distaste for beer and its smells. Jan wanted to be polite.

Jan knew Steve hated these get-togethers, but Jan thought it vital for keeping a healthy mind and sound body. Steve obviously disagreed, and often wanted to opt out of these things.

Jan always convinced him to stay.

"Are you ok?" Jan whispered to Steve, who was a little startled by the question. He stared at his skeletal friend for a while, and then smiled. "I… I think so yeah." He glanced over to the half eaten pizza. If Jan had eyebrows they'd be raising them. "You can have some, yknow."

Steve swallowed, and turned his head back to the tv. Jan sighed, but smiled as they reached over to the pizza box, taking a slice. Larry momentarily took notice, but went back to watching the movie.

Jan handed their pal the slice, and he seemed grateful, taking a bite.

It was turning out to be a pretty successful movie night.


End file.
